Structure and Electrical Properties of NdBa₂Cu₃O_y Thin Films by Laser Ablation at Low Oxygen Partial Pressure

A deposition process for NdBa₂Cu₃O_y thin films by laser ablation at decreased deposition temperature was developed using substitution of oxygen with argon in the chamber during deposition. A low deposition rate is the crucial factor to obtain high-quality NBCO films. The Nd/Ba cation disorder in the film can be suppressed by an increase of the deposition temperature or by a decrease of the oxygen partial pressure during deposition. The presence of Nd/Ba disorder during deposition stimulates the introduction of oxygen into the growing film. A simple model is proposed for estimation of oxygen contents in the film using structural parameters measured with XRD techniques. Studies of the post-deposition annealing process showed ordering of the Nd/Ba sub-lattice and intense oxygen in- and out-diffusion. The temperature of the post-deposition annealing step should be chosen low enough (∼400 °C) to avoid oxygen diffusion out of the NBCO film.